


Going

by tatooedlaura



Series: Life [21]
Category: The X-Files
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2016-12-06
Packaged: 2018-09-06 23:13:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8773189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatooedlaura/pseuds/tatooedlaura
Summary: It's about damn time ...





	

Neither of them managed to wake up in time for checkout but the manager didn’t seem to care when they left an hour and a half after they were supposed to, the man barely looking up from his crossword puzzle as he took Scully’s key card. They proceeded to the morgue next, Mulder settling at a stool at the end of Scully’s exam table this time, watching her work, avoiding looking too much as what she was removing from the body on the table. He normally enjoyed watching her in her element, as disgusting and terrible as it was. Today, however, regardless of how efficient, succinct, graceful she was, he could do nothing but wish he could get her as far away from there as possible.

She began asking him questions, things about his family, the past week he’d spent with his mother, the Gunmen’s poker night, Thursday cards with her mother. At first, he answered, then he paused, “isn’t this distracting you?”

“Yeah, I need it to.” Turning her head towards him, he could see the tears clearly glistening in her eyes, “this girl has nearly the same tattoo as Melissa in nearly the same spot and I’m dying inside so keep talking, please.” So, he did, smoothly transitioning from one story to the next until finally, she stepped away from the table, setting her last instrument down and turning towards him, her eyes now clear and dry, “all done.”

“Want me to go grab some sandwiches for us while you do the paperwork?”

“No, I just want to get this done, if you don’t mind waiting?”

He gave her a smile, “I never mind waiting.”

Two hours later, she handed her final stack of paper to Colton, who, with infinite wisdom, took one look at Mulder and took the pile from Scully with a profound and heartfelt thank you for all her help. He also shook Mulder’s hand, not asking why he was there but simply nodding, then turning to carry on with the investigation.

Summarily dismissed, they headed out the front door of the building, Scully stopping once her face was full in the bright sunshine, “ooh, that feels so good.”

“Want me to just leave you here? Rotate you as the Earth spins?”

“Yes, please.”

He smiled at her, then took her hand, “come on. Let’s get going. I need some food.”

With a deep breath, she followed at his side, “I am in the mood for a chicken sandwich with avocado and bacon and the largest sweet tea we can find.”

“And giant milkshakes, preferably chocolate?”

“It goes without saying.”

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Eventually, they were three hours out of Oakton, Scully driving and both snacking on roadside peaches, “hey, Mulder?”

With the windows down, they had to talk a little louder to be heard, “yeah?”

“Where are we going?”

“West.”

“Do we have a destination in mind?”

“West.”

“Good.” Suddenly she pulled over to the side of the road, knee-high corn lining the quiet highway on both sides and Scully putting the car in park, then pulling out the keys, leaving them with only the sounds of early summer around them.

He took another large, juicy bite before he unclicked his seatbelt, twisting in his seat in order to see her, “what’s on your mind?”

“Absolutely nothing. I just wanted to get out of the car and watch the sunset.”

Indicating through the windshield with his half-eaten peach, “then let’s do it.”

Soon, they were sitting on the hood of his car, feet up on the bumper, watching the kaleidoscope of color wafting across the sky, changing every few moments and Scully watching it all intently, her face lit up, her mouth relaxed, her cheeks pulling her mouth into the smallest of smiles.

Mulder walked his fingers over to her, then walked them slowly up her arm, scooting close enough to settle his arm across her shoulders. Immediately, she shifted, her head leaning into his shoulder and her hand capturing his knee.

The sun was long down and the sky was a deep purple before either one of them thought to move. Finally, however, Mulder’s butt was too numb to sit any longer. Resting his head against hers briefly, he told her quietly, “I can’t feel my ass and will be sliding off the car in about five seconds.”

Scully snorted her laughter, then moved, letting go of his hand as she dropped to the ground, “you need some help?”

“Don’t laugh. My left leg is numb as well, actually. I might be splayed on the pavement for a few minutes. No pictures, please.”

Her hand under his arm, she held him steady while he wiggled, stomped and winced his way to functioning body parts. Once that was finished and Scully stopped shaking her head in amusement, “so, I’m tired. How are you?”

“Exhausted. Should we find a hotel?”

“Thought you’d never ask. Get in the car, Novacaine boy.”

“That is not a good nickname.”

&&&&&&&&&&&

Mulder was snoring before she got out of the bathroom later that night, her face mask cleaned off and her flannel pants dragging on the floor in grey and blue puddles. As she reached out to turn off the bathroom light, she stopped herself once she saw his head resting in between the two pillows, spread eagle in the center of the beds.

After a moment, she found herself leaning against the doorjamb, head tilted, studying him, memorizing him. She stood there so long, Mulder moved, bringing her out of her reverie and she switched off the light, climbing into the other queen bed, the mattress soft enough to make her moan in happiness as the prospect of getting a full night’s sleep.

It wasn’t long before she felt Mulder sneak in beside her, mumbling something about the cold mattress and her warm feet.

She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

&&&&&&&&&&&

She slept like the proverbial log, miles and hours from a pit filled with bodies and inches and seconds from her solid partner with his safe hands and his languid limbs that fit with hers better than any puzzle piece in the world. Not even realizing he was gone, she only woke up to use the bathroom and even then, so intent on her task she didn’t notice the note until she finished up. Eyebrows knitting together in wonder, the crypticness of his words didn’t help her deduce anything except he really needed to slow down when he wrote things, his scrawl only decipherable by her and possibly some well-trained archeologist somewhere in the future.

It looked like it said he’d be back soon and would bring her breakfast in consolation for leaving her stranded … or that he’d be back by noon and would bring her rakes to consume for heaving her brandy.

She would go with the first interpretation and shower in the interim.

Drying her hair while standing in the middle of the room with her jeans and tanktop, he burst through the door, stopping short when he realized he could very well have caught her naked and true to his personality, the first words that tumbled forth were, “I totally should have gotten back here five minutes earlier.”

She nearly tossed the towel at his head to distract him from his ogling, which she didn’t mind in the slightest, but opted to keep rubbing her wet head, “where did you go?”

“Bought a Jeep.”

Scully rolled her eyes at him, “are you going to make me sit here and guess because if I’m doing that kind of work, you better not have forgotten breakfast?”

Mulder gave her a grin, “I’m not kidding. Come on.”

Following him out, wondering what she was walking into and just slightly nervous, she was met with Mulder unlocking a dark blue, hardtop Jeep. Moving her eyes from the car to him, “you weren’t kidding?”

“Nope. I was feeling cramped yesterday and I decided that if we’re going to be in the car for the next two, three weeks at least, I’m getting a bigger one.” Waving her over, “we passed a dealer yesterday with a ‘major sale, trade-in minimum’ nonsense sign and I woke up this morning and decided I’d go see what I could get for the Taurus. The guy gave me more than I ever would have expected so I got the Jeep.”

He looked so proud of his purchase that Scully had to chuckle, running her hand along the front fender, then opening the passenger door, “how’s it handle?”

“Better than the Taurus ever did. Want to pack up and head out? I’ll let you drive.”

Honestly, she was kind of excited not to be crammed into the smaller car anymore and she nodded, “eat first, then go. Did you remember food or do we have to go get some?”

“In the back.” Pulling out a takeout bag, “we should probably also figure out a destination while we eat this.”

“And I need to switch my insurance.”

“Such an adult these days, new cars, insurance … my mother will be so proud.”

Indicating the door to the room still hanging open, “just get in there and eat.”

&&&&&&&&&

Food eaten, destination picked, Jeep packed, they were filling up at the gas station before heading out of town. While Mulder stayed at the pump, Scully headed inside, returning a few minutes later with a small brown bag and a large Scully smile. Strolling up to him, she pulled something out of the bag, settling a pair of sunglasses on her nose, cheap plastic black frames with neon pink sides.

Mulder was highly amused, “I like ‘em.”

“Good, ‘cause I got you a green pair.” Pulling them out next, she gently slid them on his face, then stepped back to survey him, “that is definitely your color.”

Taking a glance in the tinted back window of the Jeep, “then I’ll wear them always.”

Scully turned on her heel, heading to the driver seat, “almost done? We’ve got stuff to see and times a ‘wastin.”

“Yes, ma’am.”


End file.
